Display device



G. M. BUSHEY DISPLAY DEVICE Dec. 9, 1969 Filed March 11, 1968 FIG. 3

INVENTOR GEORGE M. BUSHEY ATTORNEYS Int. Cl. A47f 7/02 US. Cl. 211-60 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to a rack adapted to be mounted on a vertical wall or to rest on a dressing table. The rack consists of an elongated strip perforated at intervals to receive and display articles such as cufr links, tie bars, tie tacks and emblem pins in order to organize them for convenient selection and easy removal. It also serves for supporting auxiliary articles such as nail clippers, scissors, pens, pencils, etc. The strip extends at an angle to a channel-shaped support consisting of substantially parallel flanges and a connecting web. There are inserts at the opposite ends of said channel, with apertures through which fastening means extend into a vertical wall so that the inclination between strip and channel causes the strip to extend outwardly and downwardly from the vertical wall. The rack can also rest on a horizontal surface in which case the outer edge of said strip and the lower flange of said channel contact with said surface causing the strip to extend upwardly and rearwardly. In either position, the articles secured in said apertures are displayed in a manner for convenient observation, selection and removal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The field of the invention is in that class of devices which are useful in holding and displaying articles of clothing and accessories. In the prior art, the larger articles of clothing are usually hung in 'a wardrobe closet or are arranged in dresser drawers. Accessories in the nature of mens ties are often hung from a tie rack on the inside of the closet door, while accessories such as cuff links or jewelry are generally placed within boxes located in a place somewhat remote from the place where clothing or ties are stored.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The purpose of this invention is to construct a device which provides a means for organizing articles such as cult links, tie bar, tie tacks, emblem pins, etc. so that a person can conveniently select the correct accessories to be used with a particular type of clothing or dress. A device according to this invention can be arranged in proximity to the storage place for clothing, or in any other place which is conveniently accessible when dressing. The device of the invention is essentially a rack provided with means for securing thereto the various accessory articles so that they can be arranged in a systematic order. It is designed so that it can either be mounted on a vertical wall or placed on a horizontal surface such as a dresser.

A typical embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating the arrangement of the device of this invention on a closet door.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the display device.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-section on the line 3-3 of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view illustrating the display device of the invention resting on the top of a dresser.

The device of this invention comprises a rack 10 preferably formed of extruded aluminum and consisting of an elongated thin strip 11 having a series of perforations 12 United States Patent 0 ice at spaced intervals from end to end. These perforations are of any convenient size and shape for receiving accessory articles but they are preferably of generally elliptical form as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 with the major axis of the ellipse extending transversely to the length of the strip. The strip is integral with a channel 13 which comprises a web 14, an upper flange -15 and a lower flange 16. As shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, the strip 11 extends outwardly from the web 14 and is inclined slightly downward from the horizontal at an angle hereto. At each of the opposite ends of the channel, a block 17 is inserted which block extends for a suflicient distance to provide a substantial area in the plane of the edges of the flanges. These flanges 15 and 16 are not exactly parallel but converge outwardly from the web 14 and each block 17 has its ends shaped at the same angle so that the blocks can be inserted endwise and are retained in position laterally by the converging of the flanges.

There are apertures 18 extending through the respective blocks or inserts and there is a chamfered hole 19 at each end of the strip 11 in alignment with said apertures. When the rack is mounted on a vertical wall as shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, it is secured thereto by wood screws 20 or other suitable fastening device. When the rack is placed on a horizontal surface such as the top 21 of the dresser 22 shown in FIGURE 4, the rack is adapted to rest upon the outer edge 23 of the strip 11 and the lower corner 24 of the channel. This corner is located between the lower end of the web 14 and the lower flange 16. In this position the outer face 25 of the strip 11 extends upwardly from the horizontal at an inclination giving good visibility to a person standing in front of the dresser. Although the angle between the channel and the strip may be varied as desired, a convenient angle is 72 degrees which means that when the rack is secured to a vertical wall the surface 25 of the strip 11 extends outwardly and downwardly at an angle of 18 degrees. The width of the web 14 can be varied with respect to the width of the strip 11 but as shown the web is slightly greater in width than the strip 11 and this ratio together with the angle between the strip and web determines the display angle when the rack is resting in its horizontal position.

In addition to the oval apertures 12, it is desirable to place a series of intermediate apertures at the outer end of the strip which are of smaller size. Such apertures 26 can be used for receiving articles having smaller shanks than those which are placed in the oval apertures 12. It is also desirable to place a series of evenly spaced round holes 27 in the upper flange 15. If these are made approximately inch in diameter, they can be used for supporting miscellaneous items 28 such as clippers, scissors, pocket pencils, etc. The oval apertures 12 are designed particularly for receiving such accessories as cuff links, tie tacks, tie bars, label-emblem pins, etc.

When the device of this invention is mounted on a vertical wall, a convenient place is adjacent the rack or holder which is commonly used in a closet or wardrobe for holding mens ties or cravats. Then when a selection is made of a particular style or color of tie, one can also select the proper accessory articles which are displayed in the rack of the invention. The device of this invention is sometimes considered to be a cuff link organizer. The device permits a mans cuff links or other accessories to be placed in a systematic order so that a choice may be made to match or compliment a mans attire when he is dressing and without being disappointed because of a missing link which so often is the case with the conventional means of cuff link storage.

Although the rack of this invention has been designed particularly for the display of accessories used by men, it will be understood that it can also be used for displaying accessories that are used by women. For example, it may be used for displaying and organizing ladies ear rings or other articles of adornment.

Although the device of this invention is adapted to be manufactured of extruded aluminum with the inserts of wood or plastic, the entire rack can be made of a suitable molded material such as plastic or it can be made of wood or other materials. Also, it can be made of other types of extruded metal.

For facilitating the mounting and retention of the accessory articles in the rack, it is sometimes desirable to cover the main metal surface, that is the surface 25 of the elongated strip 11, with a non-metallic material. For example, the surface can be flocked by means of known processes. One process of this type consists in spraying a composition consisting of an adhesive plus sprayed felt fiber.

Although the invention can be made in various sizes, the model which has been illustrated in the drawings is one about 22 inches long and made of extruded aluminum of thickness between $4 to /8 inch.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A device for use in storing and displaying small personal articles of utility and adornment in a convenient, accessible place in proximity to other wardrobe storage facilities comprising an elongated thin strip perforated at longitudinally spaced intervals throughout its length by apertures midway between its edges of a size to receive and retain small articles of personal utility and adornment, said strip being integral with and extending in a substantially flat plane at a slight downward angle to a channel-shaped supporting structure adapted to be secured to a substantially vertical wall, said channel consisting of two substantially parallel flanges transversely extending from a connecting web, and means for securing said web to said wall to thereby position said elongated strip to display said articles.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which the width of said web is so related to the width of said strip that said device can rest on an elevated horizontal surface with the outer edge of said strip and the flange of said channel contacting with said horizontal surface thereby causing said strip to project upwardly at an angle to the horizontal to display said articles to the eyes of an observer standing near said elevated horizontal surface.

3. A device according to claim 1 in which the opposite ends of said channel are provided with inserts and said securing means pass through said web and said inserts into said wall.

4. A device according to claim 1 in which the apertures are of a size to receive and retain personal articles of the class of cuff links, tie bars, tie tacks and emblem pins and similar accessories used with mens clothing.

5. A device according to claim 3 in which said substantially parallel flanges converge as they extend outwardly from said web and there are blocks similarly shaped and inserted in opposite ends of said channel.

6. A device according to claim 4 in which the apertures in said perforated strip are elliptical with the major axis extending transversely of the strip.

7. A device according to claim 2 in which the substantially parallel flanges converge as they extend outwardly from said web, the apertures in said perforated strip are elliptical, and said strip is provided with a series of smaller apertures intermediate said elliptical apertures and adjacent the outer edge of said strip.

8. A device according to claim 7 where the upper of said flanges is provided with a series of apertures for receiving the shanks of articles such as clippers, scissors, pocket pencils and the like.

9. A device according to claim 1 constructed of extruded aluminum in which the surface of said elongated strip is flocked with a covering comprising an adhesive and a non-metallic fibrous material.

10. A device according to claim 8 constructed of extruded aluminum having the surface flocked with a covering comprising an adhesive and felt fibers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,697,711 1/1929 Brown 2l188 1,894,974 1/1933 Bleckley 21 1--60 X 3,298,531 1/1967 Wilcke 211- 3,337,058 8/1967 Sandrick 21169 JAMES A. LEPPINK, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

